-Ivan McKee MSP, Minister for Trade, Investment & Innovation met Scotland: China Impact Link Fellows today during a visit to the Chao Yang District in Beijing

-Scotland: China Impact Link offers a package of support to emerging social enterprises in China to increase their business resilience and sustainability

-Launched in 2019, Impact Link is supported by the Scottish Government and delivered in China by Capacity Building and Assessment Center and Social Enterprise Academy China

Scotland and China delegations at event in Beijing.

Today (3 July 2019) Scotland’s Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation, Ivan McKee MSP, visited the Chao Yang District in Beijing to meet Scotland: China Impact Link Fellows and discuss the development of China’s social enterprise ecosystem.

Scotland: China Impact Link offers a package of support to emerging social enterprises in China to increase their business resilience and sustainability. The package includes a leadership development programme delivered by Social Enterprise Academy China and mentoring with social enterprise peers in Scotland. Launched in 2019, Impact Link is supported by the Scottish Government and delivered in China by Capacity Building and Assessment Center (CBAC) and Social Enterprise Academy (SEA) China.

SEA China is operated locally by CBAC and was launched by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a visit to Beijing in April 2018, based on an exploration enabled by British Council. Currently in a testing phase, SEA China are now developing their own team of local Learning Facilitators and are increasing their learning and development programme offering to boost the social enterprise ecosystem in China.

Lingge Zhang , Qing Gu and Jufang Zhang during event.

Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation, Ivan McKee MSP said of the visit:

“We are delighted to work internationally with social enterprise networks in China and around the world. We are pleased to support SEA China to continue and grow social enterprise links between Scotland and China.”

The visit is an opportunity to progress the Scottish Government’s China Strategy and build on the success of the First Minister’s visit to China in April 2018.

Attendees of the event included; Martin McDermott, Counsellor and Head of Scottish Government Office in China, Qing Gu from Ford Foundation in China, and Ruijun Yuan, Associate Professor from the School of Government at Peking University which is renowned for its social enterprise study programme.

Gift exchange between China and Scotland delegations Martin McDermott, Ivan McKee and Jufang Zhang.

Founder of SEA China and CBAC (Capacity Building and Assessment Center), Jufang Zhang said:  

“Impact Link will strengthen the social enterprise sector, empower local social enterprises, and link with other stakeholders to promote the development of China’s social enterprise ecosystem. Through Impact Link, we will learn from Scottish social entrepreneurs and train local facilitators to deliver learning and development programmes which will help the development of social enterprises in China.”

Zhaohui Yang, 2019 Impact Link Fellow and Founder of Ecofroggy – a local social enterprise – shared with Mr McKee how her social enterprise is increasing recycling awareness among young people aged 6 to 12 and encouraging daily recycling behaviour. The social enterprise provides young people with an experience lab, locally-produced green products and recycled stationery. Ecofroggy has now trained 200 primary teachers and engaged 288,000 school pupils across China.

Zhaohui Yang said of the Enterprising Leadership programme she attended through Impact Link:

“The SEA China learning programme has been the best learning I’ve ever experienced – the practitioner-led approach helps me to find solutions.”

To find out how you can support China’s social enterprise ecosystem through Impact Link, please visit: https://www.socentsupport.scot/china or contact china@socentsupport.scot